Month: January 2023

Everyone dreams of buying a house, but skyrocketing prices have raised the dilemma of whether to buy or rent. The decisions that individuals take will likely differ based on their financial situation. Those who can afford to tend to prioritise buying a house over renting. But, a lot of the population currently don’t have the rights right now to put down a deposit. As a result, renting has become a more attractive option and it does come with some significant advantages.

Advantages of Renting Over Buying

1. Lower Outright Costs

Living in rented accommodation is an economical option for those who can’t quite yet afford to purchase their own home. Increasing expenses have never been at an equilibrium with the wage rate meaning that buying a home often comes with exorbitant EMI rates, this is not the case for renting. As a result, renting is a more cost-friendly option for more and more people nowadays.

2. No Maintenance Costs

While living in a rented apartment, you do not have to worry about maintenance or repair costs. The responsibility for maintenance and repair is fully that of the landlord. If there is damage to their rented property, the resident should raise the issue and allow the landlord to fix it.

3. More Choice

Renters can move around fairly easily but home owners are restricted to the area where they buy. This means if a renter’s circumstances change, they can move to a different area far more easily than a homeowner could.

Contact Us

For the very best deals, regardless of whether you are renting or buying, contact us today at Freeman & Gray. We have over 30 years of experience in the property industry so you can trust us when it comes to helping you choose your new home.

The Current Housing Market

Due to the current cost of living crisis and the stress that it brings, it may feel that there is no ideal time to buy a house. To an extent this is true, there is never going to be a period where everything lines up perfectly. However, there are definitely times where it is better to purchase than others and here at Freeman & Gray, we are going to explain these in more detail.

Which Time Is Best?

In short, the best times of the year to buy a house are spring and autumn. This is due to the fact that there tends to be more houses on the market during these periods. This means more choice for buyers and potentially the chance of securing a better deal.

The reason behind why these periods are more fruitful can be put down to holidays. Generally, people holiday more in the summer so there are less properties being put up for sale during this time. The rationale is also similar for winter. During the Christmas period everyone wants to be settled in their homes so there are considerably less houses on the market.

How We Can Help

No matter what time of the year you are looking to move, we at Freeman & Gray will be on hand to help. As mentioned above, the spring and autumn time is best but that’s not to say we can’t find you a fantastic house during the more congested periods. We have a highly experienced and extremely friendly team ready to assist you every step of the way in finding your dream home.

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Thank you for taking the time to read this blog, we hope you found it interesting. If you feel that our services could be of use to you, please do not hesitate to contact us today. We hope to speak with you soon.

Saving Energy

With the cost of living crisis really starting to take hold, any methods that reduce your household’s outgoings are more than welcome. This is why we at Freeman & Gray have put together a few suggestions on how to lower your energy output. To view these in more detail, please continue reading.

Increase Insulation

One of the main causes of heat loss is draughts. Draughts are most common when there are gaps near windows, doors, chimneys, etc. If these gaps can be sealed then heat loss will reduce dramatically, thus allowing you to save on energy bills. Some draughts can be sealed through DIY methods and others may need specialist services such as double glazing. Whatever is required, draught-proofing your property is sure to save you money in the long run.

Turn Off Appliances When Not In Use

Whether it be TVs, the oven or even the lights, if something is not in use, be sure to turn it off. So much electricity is unnecessarily wasted by each household every year when a simple flick of a switch can drastically reduce energy bills. Make sure that these appliances are completely turned off and not just put on standby mode. While having a device on standby is better than it being fully switched on, it still costs you money that could be better spent elsewhere.

Take Shorter Showers

Even if you only reduce your time spent in the shower by a minute, over the course of a year that could allow you to save a considerable amount on your energy bills. Showers are a major player in household energy consumption, so if everyone can shorten the amount of time that they are in there for, the benefits could be substantial.

Contact Us

Thank you for taking the time to read this blog, we hope that you found it useful. Should you have any further questions, please feel free to contact us today. We hope to speak with you soon.